Curd producing apparatus



July 13, 1965 J. COLLINS CURD PRODUCING APPARATUS Filed Deo. 17, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l ldd# l -I 0 all. mw im w ..u Mb@ mm u" wmv u S M m SQ .9 m Oer Iw. I g -rmmwwwmim W, Mmmpulml lm Mw. Wm.||H" I ilT au... -l`p :I IY- ann lki w mw uw www www S Q .M w mw f f .Ri NS July 13, 1965 1 .,1. coLLlNs 3,193,928

CURD PRODUGING APPARATUS 741% r/zeg United States Patent O 3,193,928 CURB PRDUClNG APPARATUS Lowell Il'. Collins, 936 61st St., Gakland 8, Calif. Fiied Dec. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 245,902 '7 Claims. (Cl. 231-43) This invention relates to improvements in means for the production of curd for the manufacture of cottage cheese, and particularly relates to the operating and driving mechanisms as related to simplicity of construction and operation and sterilization eiciency, and is an irnprovement over the apparatus described and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 180,543, now Patent No. 3,102,336 filed March 19, 1962, particularly with relation to sterilization, and can be automatically controlled through the medium of the timing arrangement described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 192,727, filed May 7, 1962, in which all steps ofthe process are controlled by timing devices.

Additional improvements over the apparatus described in the previously mentioned application include the positive acting hood raising and lowering apparatus, and the support of the agitator driving apparatus on the curd processing vat instead of by the hood, thereby greatly reducing the overall weight of the hood or cover, and the removal and replacement of the agitators, and simplifying installation and operative connections.

The objects and advantages of the invention are as follows:

First, to provide agitator operating means as free of foreign matter retaining elements as possible.

Second, to provide operating means free of toothed elements for driving the agitators, to enable easier and more eiicient and eiective cleaning and sterilization.

Third, to provide operating means as outlined in which thermoplastic sheathed cables are used as the travel and rotating means for the agitators.

Fourth, to provide operating means supported by the curd producing vat and thereby limiting the cover to its inherent weight.

Fifth, to provide improved raising and lowering means for the cover through the use of positive equalized operation of the respective ends thereof.

Sixth, to provide improved agitating means in which inclined wings automatically reverse with reversals of the agitators and create diagonally upward currents of the liquids.

ln describing the invention reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a curd producing vat and cover with portions broken away and parts in section to disclose the improvements.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan View of the agitator carrier and driving means.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the structure shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an end elevation of the structure shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an end elevation of the terminal agitator actuating means.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of the terminal agitator lift mechanism.

FIG. 7 is an end elevation of the vat and cover showing the elevating and lowering .apparatus for the cover.

The invention includes a vat 10 which is suitably insulated and provided with a water compartment 11 to provide for temperature control, for the contents of the vat, and between which encompassing and bottom walls water of suitable temperature, and steam, are circulated and changed or varied for the various processing steps.

A sealing trough 12 extends entirely about the top of the vat, and includes the inner wall 13, outer wall 14 3,193,928 Patented July 13, 1965 which is of lesser height than the inner wall to prevent any possibility of overflow of sealing iluid over the inner wall 13 into the vat. The trough is filled with water, preferably chlorinated, and the encompassing lower edge of the cover is provided with an interior deiiector 15, with the cover 16 suported by the trough such as on the bottom wall 17 when the cover is closed.

The cover 15 is substantially semicircular in transverse section as indicated in the end elevation, FIG. 7, and is provided with jets 18 which have communication with feed pipes 19 on each side, and through which the washing, sterilizing, and rinsing media are sprayed over the entire interior of the vat and enclosed apparatus.

When the cover is closed, the interior of the vat is cornpletely isolated from atmospheric air, even when the whey is being drained from the vat, as purified air is maintained under slight pressure, suiiicient to cause bubbling throgh the liquid in the trough, and is supplied through the pipe 19 and jets 1S, making it unnecessary to provide a separate installation for the purified air.

The milk and cultures are delivered to the vat while the vat is sealed by the cover. This combination must be agitated for a certain period of time, for which purpose agitating means is provided and which is supported and completely enclosed within the enclosure provided by the vat, cover, and sealing means.

The operating mechanism for the agitators includes a beam Ztl of any suitable cross-section and which, like the vat and cover, must be formed from a non-oxidizable material, stainless steel being presently used, and in View of its high cost, it is desirable to obtain maximum strength with a minimum of weight. As shown, this beam is rectangular in form, with the vertices in vertical and horizontal planes, as shown in FIG. 4.

This beam is provided with a three-way track projecting from the upper and lower vertices as shown at 21 and 22, and is supported at its respective ends by the standards 23 and 24 which also are formed of rectangular tubing, all internal parts being formed 0i' stainless steel, or thermo-plastics suitable for the purpose, and including all earings which must be of the oil-less type, and being presently formed of nylon, with the exception that the cables are conventional steel cable jacketed with a thermo-plastic such as nylon. -The ends of the beam are welded to the standards as indicated at 25 for maximum rigidity.

The operating and control means for the agitators consists of a traveling head or carrier which consists of a frame 27 which encompasses the beam 20 and including a front portion having vertical end members 28 and 29, intermediate vertical members 36 and 31, a tie member 32 connecting the intermediate vertical members at their 4upper ends, and a lower tie member 33 connecting the lower ends.

Bearing housings 34 and 35 are supported by the members 32 and 33, in spaced relation forwardly from these members through the medium of a bracket 36 and strut 37. Gil-less bushings, such as nylon are provided for these bearing housings, indicated at 38.

The agitator driving drum is supported between these bearing housings, mounted on a shaft 39, with the agitator head 40 mounted on the lower end of this shaft.

This agitator driving drum 41 has a dividing flange 42 centrally of its height to provide selective take-up and payout drums 43 and 44 for the cables 45 and 46, these cables being provided with a smooth coat of a suitable thermo-plastic, such as nylon to eliminate any possibility of corrosion, the cables each having one terminal end fixed to its drum, the other terminals of these cables being adjustably secured at one end of the beam as indicated at 47 and xedly secured at the other end of the beam as indicated at 43.

.tive end and intermediate vertical members.

" port This front portion also includes vertically spaced bearing and tie members, including each an upper member 49 and a lower member 50, and which are lixed to the respec- Rollers 52 and 51 are rotatably mounted in these bearing members ,andare respectively mounted on the removable shafts 53 and 54.- A drop bearing is fixed to the lower end at each rollers 52 and 51 ride on one'side of the tracks Vor rails 21 and 22. A bracket .57 projects rearwardly from the ends ofthev memberv 37 to provide a connection for the transport cable, the other connection being indicated .at 58.

The rear' frame 59y is substantially similar-to the front frame, having the spaced bearing and tie members 49, 56,

with rollers 51`and52 rotatable therein andv cooperating with the opposite side of the rails 21 and 22,`the principal differences in the front and rear frames residing in the vbrackett() which projects rearwardly from the rear frame land having a stub shaft 61 on which the cable guiding sheave 62 is rotatably mounted.

Ashaft 63 passes through the depending bearings 55 A,and 64, and 56,65 at the respective ends and having a roller 66 for each en d and which rollers ride on the underside of the rail.

The upper ends of the front and rear frames `are con- `nected by cross members 67 and 68, to which the yoke bearings 69 and 70are fixed as indicated at 71, and rollers 72 and 73 are rotatablymounted in these bearing-s and ride on the top surface of the rail 21. Thus the traveling carvrier is positively and ri-gidly supported on the beam and cannot deflect in any direction.

f The driving means for the traveling carrier and agitator vdrive consists of a motor 74 coupled through a speed revducer 75, with the shaft 76 driven by the speed reducer lthrough the drive members 77 and 78, or a variable speed drive with a range of about 2O to 125 r.p.m. may be'used, in which case a speed reducer would be required as indi- A cated at`79 and driven by the main shaft '76 through the driving connection 80'for driving the limit switch 81; It

will be noted that the shaft 76 is provided with a sealing cap 82'which iits about the cylindrical Wall of the sealing trough as indicated at 83.

A second tandem drum 84 tion of the shaft 76 and the shaft is supported in a bearing 85 of the oil-less type, which bearing is supported by -a bracket 86 fixed to the beam 20.l The carrier transcableshave their respective terminalVV ends iixed j vrespectively to one ofthe' tandem drums 84 and to the frame as indicated at 58 with the cable indicated at 8S,

and the other transport cable 89 having one end iixed to the other of'the tandem drums, thence continuing about the rear, riding on they guide sheave 62, thence about the reverse sheave 90, continuing back, with the other terminal end fixed to the frame as indicated at 91-through a link 92. Thus as the tandem drum is rotated in one direction, the carrier will 'be traveling inoneV direction, with the Vcables 45 and 46 unwinding from one agitator drive drum rand winding'on the other, causing the shaft 39 to rotate and drive the agitator head 40 for operating the agitator 26. As the driving mechanism moves the carrler to a predetermined point in each direction, the limit switch ,willY reverse the motor to drive the carrier in the opposite direction, with the agitators also being reversed in their sweep,

the blades 94 moving to the cated at 94.v

opposite inclination as indi- The elevating and lowering means'for the cover is an improvement over'that disclosed in the previously-men- *tioned application which employed a uid motor at each is mounted on the upper porend of this front frame as indicated at 55, and 56. The

Y 4% of absolute uniformity,and consists of a single iiuid motor 95 having a plungerl 96 which is attachedto one end of the cover through a crosshead bracket 97.

' en this shaft, with Ythe sprockets orVV sheaves extending ,into the tubular legs of the standard as indicated at 165.

Similar sprockets or sheaves 106 are providedV at the lower ends of the legs, and additional sprockets or sheaves V107 are mounted on the respective sides of the fluid motor.

Two chains or cables 108 have one of their terminal ends connected to the lower end of the cover at one end as'i'ndicated at 109, thence Vpass over and about the rotary member 164, down'throughthe respective legs of the standard .as indicated at 108', about the rotary member 166, thence through tubular members 110 functioning as guidesY and housings, thence about the rotary members 167 and up along the respective sides of the Huid motor as indicated at 108, with the other terminal ends fixed to Vthe crosshead bracket 97. Thus positive and identical ,movement is provided for the respective ends of the cover.

The` housing 111 contains the additional apparatus including the automatic control means for the respective op- -erations, such as control-of temperatures, agitation, cooking, and the other varied0 operations forV producing curd lof the finest quality.` Y n As `is plainly evident, since t-he agitators are driven through the combined movement, both longitudinally of the vat and simultaneously in a circular motion, they cannot clear the corner portions ofthe vat, and these portions are thus subjected to over-cooking. It is therefore desirable that means be provided to suitably agitate .and clear the corner portions. v

In one ofthe previously mentioned copending applications, two drags or Scrapersv are supported by the agitator `carrier and therefore operate throughout the longitudinal travel ofY the carrier. It is preferable to have the drags or scrappersvoperate only through the corner portions not operated on by the agitators, and' this is yaccomplished inthe arrangement disclosed in this application. i 'The scraper 112`might best be termed a terminal agi- `tator and Vconsists ofa member 112 which 'is oatably :mounted on `spaced legs 113 as indicated at 114, these legs being rigidly iixed to a cross member 115 which constitutes the cross member of an inverted U-shaped bracket having a roller 116 rotatably mounted on each "of the upwardly projecting arms V117,' 'with'the-"rollers riding on the side rails 118 and 119, these side rails consisting of a plate centrally fixed to the lower rail 22. These rails are "provided at both Vterminal ends of the beam, extending inwardly to a point-in slightly spaced relation Ytothe terminalsor limits of travel of the lower end rollers 66 of the carrier, so as not to interfere with "normal travel of the' carrier.

A guide member 120 is dependently mounted at the innerl end'n fthe Yunderside of each rail 118 vand 119. Though a single connecting rod can be used, two connecting rods '121' and 122 are shown, and are slidable in the guides at the inner end s of the side rails, and each has va length substantially equal to the length of the beam minus th'edistanoe'from oneVv guide member lto the one end ofthe beam. f Y p A combination thrustcollar andv drop bearing is fixed on each rod in spaced relation to each end as indicated far 123 and 124.

upper outer ends pivoted to the beam, with the inner lower ends normally resting on the side rails 11S and 119.

Mounted on the carrier frame are the terminal agitator actuating members 129, 139, 131 and 132, and which coincidently provide support for the connecting rods, and may be in the form of grooved rollers, sliding bearings, or half bearings, as shown.

The operation of the terminal agitators is as follows:

With the thrust collar at one end in the position 123', and the roller 116 having dropped over the outer terminal end of the inclined rail as shown in FIG. 1, the other thrust collar will be in the position 123 shown in FIG. 3.

As the carrier travels to the left, the actuating members 129 and 13@ engage the thrust collars at 123 and move them, with the connecting rods to the positions 123, FIG. 3, the connecting rods retracting the rollers from the position 116 to dotted position 116 at right in FIG. l, and simultaneously driving the rollers 116 up the inclined rail 127 and over the pivoted top end to drop back onto the side rail, thus drawing the terminal agitator inwardly from one end and elevating and moving the other terminal agitator to the other end of the vat, 4and which other terminal agitator will be retracted when the carrier again engages the collar 124.

All parts of the carrier are easily and quickly disassembled. The terminal end of the shaft 63 is threaded into the rear bearing, so that by manually rotating the knobs 133, the shafts can be withdrawn, permitting the lower ends of the carrier to be swung out for lifting off the beam, as the upper end is pivoted together by the rod 134. The drum is removable by removing the agitator head 4t) -and removing the shaft 39; the rollers 51 and 52 by lifting out the shafts 53 and 54, thus providing for thorough cleaning in a minimum of time.

I claim:

1. In curd processing apparatus including a vat having a bottom and opposite ends and sides, a cover for the vat, and an agitator for agitating the contents of the vat; operating means for the l'agitator comprising a single rigid beam having its respective ends supported by the respective ends of the vat, a carrier vehicularly mounted on said beam and including power means for inducing travel of said carrier back and forth along said beam within lthe confines of said cover when the cover is in sealed position on the vat, and rotative means on said carrier drivingly connected to said agitator and having operative connections with the respective ends of the beam to effect rotat-ion of said rotative means as the carrier is drawn back and forth along the beam and a terminal -agitator adjacent at least one end of the vat having drive means responsible to movements of the carrier toward the end of its travel, whereby curd processing is carried out throughout the length of the vat in a sealed enclosed condition.

2. In curd processing apparatus including a vat having a bottom and opposite ends and sides, a cover for the vat, and an agitator for agitating the contents of the vat; operating means for the agitator comprising a beam having its respective ends supported by the respective ends of the vat, a carrier vehicularly mounted on said beam and including power means for inducing travel of said carrier back and forth along said beam within the confines of said cover when the cover is in sealed position on the vat, rotative means on said carrier drivingly connected to said agitator and having operative connections with the respective ends of the beam to eiect rotation of said rotative means as the carrier is drawn back and forth along the beam; a terminal agitator adjacent each end of the vat; and operating means for the terminal agitators comprising a connecting rod connecting the terminal agitators and movable by said carrier between predetermined limits to move said terminal agitators back and forth within said limits toward and away from the ends of the vat, upwardly and divergently inclined rails adjacent opposite ends of the beam and each pivotedV at its upper end to the beam, said terminal agitators each having a crosshead with rollers operable on said inclined tracks when the associated terminal agitator is moving toward the end of the vat for elevating the terminal agitator as it approaches the end of the vat whereby continued movement causes the rollers to drop over the upper pivoted end of the inclined rail to effect cooperation of the terminal agitator at said one end with the bottom of the vat adjacent the end, the other terminal agitator being simultaneously retracted from the other end as the carrier moves the opposite terminal agitator toward the said one end.

3. In curd processing apparatus including a vat having a bottom and opposite ends and sides, a cover for the vat, and an agitator for agitating the contents of the vat; operating means for the agitator comprising a beam having its respective ends supported by the respective ends of the vat, a carrier vehicularly mounted on said beam and including power means for inducing travel of said carrier back and forth along said beam within the connues of said cover when the cover is in sealed position on the vat, and rotative means on said carrier drivingly connected to said agitator and having operative connections with the respective ends of the beam to effect rotation of said rotative means as the carrier is drawn back and forth along the beam, said power means including riving means comprising a drum rotatably mounted adjacent one end of the beam, a cable intermediately Wound thereon with the terminal ends thereof respectively connected directly to opposite ends of the carrier, and reversing means for reversing the driving means to reverse the direction of travel of the carrier at the respective limits of travel thereof.

4. ln cui-d processing apparatus including a vat having a bottom and opposite ends and sides, a coverfor the vat, and an agitator for agitating the contents of the vat; operating means for the agitator comprising a beam having its respective ends supported by the respective ends of the vat, a carrier vehicularly mounted 0n said beam and including power means for inducing travel of said carrier back and forth along said beam Within the confinesV of said cover when the cover is in sealed position on the vat, and rotative means on said carrier drivingly connected to said agitator and having operative connections with the respective ends of the beam to effect rotation of said rotative means as the carrier is drawn back and forth along the beam, said rotative means comprises a drum mounted on said carrier, a cable is intermediately Wound thereon so as to wind on one end while un- Winding from the other end, the ends of the cable being connected to opposite ends of the beam so that as the carrier is drawn along the beam the drum is driven to effect rotation of the agitator.

5. In curd processing apparatus including a vat having a bottom and opposite ends and sides, a cover for the vat, and an agitator for agitating the contents of the vat; operating means for the agitator comprising a beam having its respective ends supported by the respective ends of the vat, a carrier vehicularly mounted on said beam and including power means for inducing travel of said carrier back and forth along said beam within the contines of said cover when the cover is in sealed position on the vat, rotative means on said carrier drivingly connected to said agitator and having operative connections with the respective ends of the beam to effect rotation of said rotative means as the carrier is drawn back and forth along the beam, and a terminal agitator adjacent each end of the vat and movable toward and away therefrom, means limiting movement of the terminal agitators to the end portions of the vat and including means connecting the terminal agitators for simultaneous movement in opposition with reference to terminal movements, and having I'irst engaging means in spaced relation to each end of the means connecting the terminal agitators, second engaging means on said carrier cooperating with said first rengaging means during terminal movements of said carrier to'effect movement of the means connecting the terminal agitatorsopposed elevating and supporting means adjacent opposite ends of said beam lto elevate one terminal agitator during movement thereof tovvard the one end and support the Y 'opposite'terminal agitator for cooperation with the bottom at the other end of the vat Vto scrape the bottom of the vat as the carrier engages and moves the lirst engaging means'towardthe one end. Y i 6. A combined carrier and rotating means for an agitator comprising, a single rigid beam supporting said carrier vehicularly thereon, a rdrum rotatably mounted on said carrier and supporting said agitator thereon for direct rotation therewith, and an elongated cable intermediatelyjwound about said drum and having its opposite terminal ends connected to opposite ends of the beam so that when the .carrier'is moved along the beam ing means for vehicularlyoperating said carrier are provided comprising, a shaft-'rotatably mounted at one end of the beam, a Vdriving drum mounted on said shaft, a sheave mounted adjacent the end of the beam remote from the shaft, an elongated cable having its intermediate portion wound Yabout said driving drum with one of its terminal ends connected directly to one end of said carrier and its other terminal end portion passing about said sheave and connected-to the other end of the carrier,Y and power means including reversing means for driving Vsaid shaft for selective rotation of said driving drum to reverse the direction of travel of the carrier on the beam.

. References Cited4 bythe Examiner UNITED lSTATES PATENTS 1,982,715 V12/34 Whiteside 259-102 2,488,053 1l/49 Damrow 31--48 .2,617,191 ll/52 Detjen 31-48 U 2,774,140 12/56 Nessler et al. 31--48 .SAMUEL Primary Examiner.

ALDRICH F. MEDBERY, Examiner. 

1. IN CURD PROCESSING APPARATUS INCLUDING A VAT HAVING A BOTTOM AND OPPOSITE ENDS AND SIDES, A COVER FOR THE VAT, AND AN AGITATOR FOR AGITATING THE CONTENTS OF THE VAT; OPERATING MEANS FOR THE AGITATOR COMPRISING A SINGLE RIGID BEAM HAVING ITS RESPECTIVE ENDS SUPPORTED BY THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF THE VAT, A CARRIER VEHICULARLY MOUNTED ON SAID BEAM AND INCLUDING POWER MEANS FOR INDUCING TRAVEL OF SAID CARRIER BACK AND FORTH ALONG SAID BEAM WITHIN THE CONFINES OF SAID COVER WHEN THE COVER IS IN SEALED POSITION ON THE VAT, AND ROTATIVE MEANS ON SAID CARRIER DRIVINGLY CONNECTED TO SAID AGITATOR AND HAVING OPERATIVE CONNECTIONS WITH THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF THE BEAM TO EFFECT ROTATION OF SAID ROTATIVE MEANS AS THE CARRIER IS DRAWN BACK AND FORTH ALONG THE BEAM AND A TERMINAL AGITATOR ADJACENT AT LEAST ONE END OF THE VAT HAVING DRIVE MEAN RESPONSIBLE TO MOVEMENTS OF THE CARRIER TOWARD THE END OF ITS TRAVEL, WHEREBY CURD PROCESSING IS CARRIED OUT THROUGH OUT THE LENGTH OF THE VAT IN A SEALED ENCLOSED CONDITION. 